Why Workplace Innovation is Necessary

As salespeople, our industry is always shifting. As a result, our jobs depend on staying ahead of the curve. To avoid falling behind, we should be constantly learning, creating, and innovating. Being forward-thinking pays off in numerous ways, but below are three of the most important reasons why innovation in the workplace is necessary.

1. If you’re not doing it, someone else is.

From a competitive perspective, staying relevant is directly tied to staying innovative. If you aren’t constantly striving to find new ways to grow, you’ll soon be left behind by the competitors who are.

Innovation effects every facet of a corporation from sales, to team dynamics, to client relations. As the need for innovation is so pervasive, the burden of doing so rests on everyone’s shoulders equally. Each member of a team should focus on finding new ways to be successful, and this should be reinforced and supported by management or leadership. Only when a common goal of continuous innovation exists, will you and your team be able to stay ahead of the competition.

2. Forward-thinking helps retain talented employees.

Innovation doesn’t only effect your ability to be successful with clients. It also plays a large role in the engagement and satisfaction of your employees. Talented team members, especially those classified as Millennials, are particularly motivated by staying at the forefront of their field. If your environment remains stagnant and they feel that their creativity is being squelched, even the most loyal employees will begin to entertain offers from competitors.

To remain the preferred choice for your best employees, it’s imperative to stay ahead of the trends and changes in your field. This means taking the time to research and develop new tactics and strategies to best serve not only your consumer base, but your team as well. By placing an emphasis on this as a leader, you show both loyalty to the professional growth of your employees and an understanding of the importance of their contributions.

3. Staying ahead is important for your clients.

Now that we’ve covered why consistent innovation is beneficial to you and to your employees, let’s discuss how it can be advantageous to your clients.

Failing to improve and update your offerings can put your clients at risk for having underperforming assets. By enacting a purchase decision with you, a client has engaged in a relationship in which they expect to receive the best service available. If you fail to innovate and create relevant, forward-thinking solutions, your sales will go down and your existing consumers will suffer.

A simple first step in fixing a dynamic like the one described above, would be to regularly survey clients to identify any potential improvements that can be made to the products they use or services they buy.

Taking an interest in your consumers’ well-being and staying engaged in their business goals demonstrates that you are the type of company prospects will want to partner with – and will ensure that your consumer base will receive the best service available.

Innovation has been a buzzword for years, and it remains a prominent topic across all industries. Staying ahead of the pack has wide-ranging benefits, but three should shape the way you develop new tactics, strategies, and processes. Remaining devoted to innovation is beneficial to your company, your team, and most importantly, your clients.

David Mattson is the CEO and President of Sandler Training, an international training and consulting organization headquartered in the North America. Since 1986, he has been a trainer and business consultant for management, sales, interpersonal communication, corporate team building and strategic planning throughout the United States and Europe.

David is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestsellers, The Sandler Rules: 49 Timeless Selling Principles and How to Apply Them and Sandler Success Principles: 11 Insights that will change the way you think and sell. He regularly authors articles for business publications and continues to be involved in the ongoing creation and development of new Sandler training products and programs.